Comments on: First Bike: New or Used? http://motorcycle-intelligence.com/first-bike/62/ Irreverent Motorcycle News & Safety Tips Thu, 09 Sep 2010 02:31:04 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: JC http://motorcycle-intelligence.com/first-bike/62/comment-page-1/#comment-2328 JC Fri, 13 Aug 2010 15:33:35 +0000 http://motorcycle-intelligence.com/first-bike/62#comment-2328 I think starting off learning to ride as young as possible on dirt bikes is best. I started at 12 riding a friends 250 or 125 dirt. It is a lot different than the street yet you get a lot of experience without the traffic. You learn to lean and accelerate in curves and the path is not always smooth. Otherwise handling the bike and keeping balance is the same. If no such chance to start young, I would agree with the author and get a dual purpose and do both types of riding. This along with an approved motorcycle learning course. If you do go through a course most teach you to ride on a 250cc. I started with 500 cc as first street bike and have moved through the years to now riding a Goldwing. With each and every new bike there was more to learn and the most important thing is to be able to ride safe and capable of handling the bike you are on. On the Goldwing I go out on the twisties and stay with friends on most of the turns and accelerate just fine. the advantage is I like to travel on my bike and friends have to trailer theirs. End point being I believe start small and go bigger as you gain the experience and confidence needed. It may cost you more in the long run for the bikes but you will be safer and a better rider for it. I think starting off learning to ride as young as possible on dirt bikes is best. I started at 12 riding a friends 250 or 125 dirt. It is a lot different than the street yet you get a lot of experience without the traffic. You learn to lean and accelerate in curves and the path is not always smooth. Otherwise handling the bike and keeping balance is the same.

If no such chance to start young, I would agree with the author and get a dual purpose and do both types of riding. This along with an approved motorcycle learning course. If you do go through a course most teach you to ride on a 250cc.

I started with 500 cc as first street bike and have moved through the years to now riding a Goldwing. With each and every new bike there was more to learn and the most important thing is to be able to ride safe and capable of handling the bike you are on.

On the Goldwing I go out on the twisties and stay with friends on most of the turns and accelerate just fine. the advantage is I like to travel on my bike and friends have to trailer theirs.

End point being I believe start small and go bigger as you gain the experience and confidence needed. It may cost you more in the long run for the bikes but you will be safer and a better rider for it.

]]> By: Lester Metzger http://motorcycle-intelligence.com/first-bike/62/comment-page-1/#comment-2243 Lester Metzger Sat, 31 Jul 2010 14:58:19 +0000 http://motorcycle-intelligence.com/first-bike/62#comment-2243 I have taught numerous people to ride. Starting with my ex-wife and my daughter, plus a few of their friends. I also talk to lots of other people that were "sent" to me to talk about bikes. I always reccommend a used bike for a starter. First of all the obvious, if you break it, its cheaper to fix. If you knock off a part you dont really need, no big deal. Last of all, you can always sell small bikes when you are done with them. I have taught numerous people to ride. Starting with my ex-wife and my daughter, plus a few of their friends. I also talk to lots of other people that were “sent” to me to talk about bikes. I always reccommend a used bike for a starter. First of all the obvious, if you break it, its cheaper to fix. If you knock off a part you dont really need, no big deal. Last of all, you can always sell small bikes when you are done with them.

]]> By: M K Alpers http://motorcycle-intelligence.com/first-bike/62/comment-page-1/#comment-1362 M K Alpers Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:33:47 +0000 http://motorcycle-intelligence.com/first-bike/62#comment-1362 Before purchasing any motorcycle, check out being physically fit. Do some fast walking, stretching and deep breathing, good reflexes mean plenty. Study a book or video on riding. The greater skill you have on balance and quick movements on two legs can assist greatly on riding. Go to a bike shop with many Metric Bikes and sit on them. Buy a newer used bike, as these are easy to buy and easy to sell at the right price. Do not purchase an older bike, as many have big problems with no current replacement parts. M K Alpers Before purchasing any motorcycle, check out being physically fit. Do some fast walking, stretching and deep breathing, good reflexes mean plenty. Study a book or video on riding. The greater skill you have on balance and quick movements on two legs can assist greatly on riding. Go to a bike shop with many Metric Bikes and sit on them. Buy a newer used bike, as these are easy to buy and easy to sell at the right price. Do not purchase an older bike, as many have big problems with no current replacement parts.
M K Alpers

]]> By: Will http://motorcycle-intelligence.com/first-bike/62/comment-page-1/#comment-1306 Will Sat, 19 Sep 2009 19:07:29 +0000 http://motorcycle-intelligence.com/first-bike/62#comment-1306 Recommended 1st bike - Used Honda 750 Spirit (V-twin). Easy to ride, fast enough to manuever out of peoples way, low to the ground, handles easily at low speed, great balance, looks good, lots of available accessories. Buying anything smaller will be dangerous (too light), seating too high, and you will want a larger bike 1 month after you buy anything smaller. Recommended 1st bike – Used Honda 750 Spirit (V-twin). Easy to ride, fast enough to manuever out of peoples way, low to the ground, handles easily at low speed, great balance, looks good, lots of available accessories. Buying anything smaller will be dangerous (too light), seating too high, and you will want a larger bike 1 month after you buy anything smaller.

]]> By: Motorcycle MeeMaw http://motorcycle-intelligence.com/first-bike/62/comment-page-1/#comment-1296 Motorcycle MeeMaw Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:52:24 +0000 http://motorcycle-intelligence.com/first-bike/62#comment-1296 I'm a 55-year-old grandmother who learned to ride 4 years ago. My first bike was a Harley 883L (low). It was used, and I bought it from the local Harley dealer. It had just under 200 miles on it when I rode it home, and I traded it in this summer with more than 18,000 miles on it. My daughter also had a Sportster 883 for her first bike, and it was also used. Like me, she traded it in this summer. We both now ride Harley Heritaage Softails, and love them. We agree that we couldn't have started out on those bikes, and the 883's we DID start out on were perfect for us. I only dropped mine once, while my daughter dropped hers a couple of times. Each time one of ours was dropped, though, there was a guy close by who volunteered to pick them up. Those bikes were quick, responsive and really fun to ride. However, they weren't as comfy for long rides as we wanted, so that's why we traded ours in. I had mine for a little more than 2 years, and my daughter had hers for 1 year. We can flatfoot our motorcycles, so we feel stable, and are putting the miles on them! I’m a 55-year-old grandmother who learned to ride 4 years ago. My first bike was a Harley 883L (low). It was used, and I bought it from the local Harley dealer. It had just under 200 miles on it when I rode it home, and I traded it in this summer with more than 18,000 miles on it. My daughter also had a Sportster 883 for her first bike, and it was also used. Like me, she traded it in this summer. We both now ride Harley Heritaage Softails, and love them. We agree that we couldn’t have started out on those bikes, and the 883’s we DID start out on were perfect for us. I only dropped mine once, while my daughter dropped hers a couple of times. Each time one of ours was dropped, though, there was a guy close by who volunteered to pick them up. Those bikes were quick, responsive and really fun to ride. However, they weren’t as comfy for long rides as we wanted, so that’s why we traded ours in. I had mine for a little more than 2 years, and my daughter had hers for 1 year. We can flatfoot our motorcycles, so we feel stable, and are putting the miles on them!

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